


Homecoming

by verbaeghe



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Tampa Bay Lightning, nothing but fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-08 04:18:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11073909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verbaeghe/pseuds/verbaeghe





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lecavayay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecavayay/gifts).



_June 21, 2016_

Vinny finishes up his retirement press conference with a smile and a wave to the reporters. He stands and heads down the podium steps, pulling out his phone on the way. His phone is blowing up with messages even though everyone knew retirement was coming. He ignores them all, putting his phone on Do Not Disturb, and types out a message. ‘ _Hey, all done, you know where I’ll be when you decide on yours._ ’

He hits send, then spends the next two hours shaking hands and accepting congratulations from people he no longer has to answer to, and he can’t wait for it to be over so he can leave to pick up his bags. It’s time to go home.

_July 20, 2016_

Vinny is lounging by the pool of his new, less grandiose (still on Davis island) home when his phone rattles around on a nearby glass table. He absentmindedly wonders if there’s a way to lessen the vibration, while debating leaving it for later, but he rises with a sigh when it buzzes again, threatening to shake right onto the ground.

It turns out that the second notification is just a reminder of the text he’s already received, which is sort of annoying until he reads it. ‘ _I just made the announcement. I’m on my way._ ’

Vinny gathers his pool stuff and heads inside. He is in no way ready for Brad to come home.

//

Vinny is carefully lighting a second scented candle up on his mantle when the knock comes at the front door. His head whips towards said door while he mindlessly waves the match out. He’d spent the afternoon straightening a bunch of things that didn’t need to be as well as picking and rejecting all of Brad’s favorite meals one by one until he finally just closed his eyes to pick one at random. It wasn’t Brad’s most favorite, but it would-

Another knock at the door reminds Vinny that Brad is here _now_ and maybe he should get out of his head and answer it. He drops the match into the candle to burn up and all but runs to the front door. He throws it open, leans on the frame.

“Hey,” he says, grinning like an idiot.

“You’re an idiot,” Brad replies. Vinny laughs, mostly because Brad mirrored his thoughts.

“I know,” Vinny agrees. He straightens, waving his hand theatrically, ushering Brad in. “But you love me.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive,” Brad shakes his head, sets is stuff down. “What?” he asks when he looks up to Vinny watching him.

“Oh, I don’t know, it’s...” Vinny knows he’s beaming, still looking like an idiot, but that’s okay because Brad is here now. No more phone tag, Skype dates, or hurried ‘hey, how are ya’ in the hall before morning skate. He’s here and they get to start the next chapter of their lives where they belong, in Tampa.

Just like they always have been. But better.

“Welcome home.”


End file.
